GiveTake A Year
by Victoria of England
Summary: From the challenge by ReganX. Anne dies a year early, in childbirth with another princess, and Katherine lives an extra year. Jane Seymour marries the King while Katherine is still alive.
1. Chapter 1

_19 May 1535_

King Henry bounced Princess Elizabeth on his knee, wondering what was taking so long. Anne's screams were loud and clear, but the cries of a baby had not yet been added to them.

Henry glanced up to see that his brother-in-law, George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, was pacing rapidly before him, his face anxious and exhausted. Anne's labor had gone on for hours. But at least that was a normal reaction to one's sister being in labor; Anne's father, on the other hand, looked unnervingly calm. It was times like this that King Henry could not understand his father-in-law, Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond, at all.

"Your Majesty," he heard, and turned to see Anne's favorite servant, Nan Saville. "The Queen has given birth to a healthy daughter."

For a moment, Henry felt like the world had stopped. "Another daughter?" he demanded.

Poor Nan looked terrified. "Yes, Your Majesty," she admitted, her head down. "And…" she hesitated, clearly trembling with nerves. "The Queen has lost a lot of blood. The doctor claims she is in God's hands now."

This startled Henry significantly. Was Anne giving her life for this daughter of his? He glanced down at the child, surprised at how small she was – smaller than either Elizabeth or Mary had been. As disappointed as he was in her sex, he did not want her to cost Anne her life.

"Lady Bryan," he said to Elizabeth's governess, "take Elizabeth and her sister to the nursery." No children should be there to hear the announcement that their mother was dead. He would tell them later on – gently, as he was sure they needed. Or rather, he would tell Elizabeth; the baby would not need to be told.

The governess hastened to obey him, taking the newborn into her arms; Elizabeth, however, stubbornly remained in her father's lap. Sighing, he lifted her.

"Elizabeth, my jewel," he said, "Did you see your new sister?"

The Princess nodded.

"It is very important that you act like a big girl, now," he said. "You have to show her how to do everything; that is your job, as her big sister. Can you do that?"

Again, the Princess nodded.

"Good," said the King. "I knew I could count on you. Go with Lady Bryan and your sister."

Elizabeth, however, remained firmly in place. "What's her name?" she demanded.

The King hesitated. He had once again decided that his son would be called Edward or Henry, but he had not thought of girl's names. Elizabeth had been fairly obvious, for both his mother and Anne's; and Katherine's relationship with his sister, the Dowager Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk, made Mary's name fairly obvious as well.

"Cecily," he told Elizabeth. It was an old royal name, belonging to Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, the estimable mother of King Edward IV, and also to King Edward's daughter Cecily of York, sister to his mother Elizabeth of York.

Elizabeth nodded. "Okay," she said. "I'll help Lady Bryan take care of Cecily."

She hurried after the governess eagerly now that she had a responsibility.

The King stood, and looked at Nan Saville. "How likely is her survival?" he inquired of her, but Nan was saved from having to answer by the appearance of the doctor.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," he said. "But the Queen has passed."

_30 May 1535_

Anne Boleyn was given a funeral fit for a Queen.

The King insisted that there be ample royal representation at the funeral, even if he himself could not attend. His sister, Margaret, Dowager Queen of Scotland, and her son, King James V of Scotland, sent their condolences, and were represented by Lady Margaret Douglas, Queen Margaret's daughter from her second marriage to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus. His younger sister, Mary, Dowager Queen of France, wad dead, but she, too, had significant representation. Her widower, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, attended with Catherine Willoughby, his young bride, in addition to her daughters. Her elder daughter, Lady Frances Brandon, was the wife of Henry Grey, Marquess of Dorset, and the youngest, Eleanor, was betrothed to Henry Clifford, the Earl of Cumberland's heir. Also present were Queen Mary's two stepdaughters, Lady Anne Brandon and Lady Mary Brandon, and their husbands. Anne was married to Edward Grey, Baron Grey of Powys, and Mary was married to Thomas Stanley, Baron Monteagle.

Prayers were said for Queen Anne's immortal soul, and for her daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Cecily.

Anne's sister, Mary, Lady Stafford, was called back to court to act as the chief mourner at her sister's funeral. Her daughter from her first marriage, Catherine Carey, acted as another of the mourners, alongside her brother, Henry Carey, her uncle George, Viscount Rochford, her aunt Jane, Viscountess Rochford, her stepfather, Sir William Stafford, and her maternal grandparents, Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire, and Elizabeth Boleyn née Howard, Countess of Wiltshire. Also among the mourners was Lady Wiltshire's brother, Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, and several of his children, Queen Anne's cousins. This included Mary Fitzroy née Howard, Duchess of Richmond, who was the wife of King Henry's bastard son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond, who was also a mourner at his stepmother's funeral.

In addition to the assigned royal and Howard-Boleyn mourners, most courtiers turned out to pay their respects to the deceased Queen, including those who did not like her very much.

"What happens now?" Jane Seymour, one of the Queen's maids-of-honor, asked her father, Sir John Seymour. Instead, it was her brother, Edward Seymour, who answered her.

"The King will search for a new bride immediately," he told her. "That is why he has not disbanded Queen Anne's household, and has left Lady Stafford in charge of it. I imagine that he will try to make a royal match, to force one of his fellow Kings to acknowledge that his marriage to Katherine of Aragon was not valid."

"The Emperor will not acknowledge it," Jane predicted with a frown. "And if he does not, there will be no acceptance from Portugal or Denmark or Hungary, where his sisters reign."

"Perhaps," said Edward. "If he does not, the King will most likely look to the French for a bride. Even though Francis' second wife is Charles V's sister, they are not strong allies. Francis has three living daughters – Charlotte, Madeleine, and Margaret. Margaret is too young, and Madeleine is promised to King James V of Scotland, King Henry's nephew. I imagine he will attempt to marry Charlotte of France."

"And if King Francis disapproves?"

"He will look elsewhere," Edward said. "One of the German princes will consent to have his sister or daughter as Queen of England; or the King of Sweden will."

"Unless…" said Thomas Seymour, looking at his sister strangely.

"What?" demanded Edward.

"Unless someone was to win the King's love," said Thomas thoughtfully. "An English lady, that is virtuous enough to not wish to be married outside of marriage."

Catching on to Thomas' train of thought, Edward and Sir John turned to look at Jane.

_9 June 1535_

"Who is this Seymour girl, and why is the King so enamored with her?" demanded Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire, angrily. "I thought you said we would have another Howard or Boleyn girl!"

"I thought we would," answered his brother-in-law, the Duke of Norfolk. "I am as disgruntled as you are with the Seymour chit. Who is she, anyway?"

"She was a maid-of-honor in Anne's household," Lady Stafford answered. Lady Stafford had just returned to court after having a daughter, Anne Stafford, whose name had earned her favor from the King. Anne had been sent to Hatfield House to join her cousins, Elizabeth and Cecily. "Her mother was Margery Wentworth, and her father is Sir John Seymour."

"They are no friends of ours," said Wiltshire, "but the King is quite determined and will not hear a word against her, not even from us."

"As it once was with Anne," said George. "We would probably be better off obeying him."

"_I_ am going to leave court," said Lady Wiltshire. "I am of an age where I would rather be in the country, and my daughter is no longer Queen."

Her husband nodded absent-mindedly. "If the King approves," he agreed. "Mary and Jane, do what you can to retain your positions under Queen Jane under all circumstances. If you can find a way to get the King to stop favoring her, do so."

Lady Stafford and Lady Rochford nodded in understanding. They were to spy on the Seymour Queen.

"George, the King counts you among his friends," Wiltshire added to his son. "You are as much his former brother-in-law as the Duke of Suffolk is, and doubtlessly you will continue to hold his favor as Suffolk is the only of his childhood friends still living. Make sure you do not lose that favor."

George nodded too, though the thought of spying on the King was more uncomfortable than the idea of spying on the Queen.

"What about my children?" Mary asked.

It was Norfolk, not Wiltshire, who answered that. "Have your boy Henry continue to live at court as George's protégé," he ordered. "The boy is eleven, and I can only imagine that the King will eventually honor Anne's nephew with a peerage. And keep your daughter Catherine as a maid-of-honor to the Queen. The more spies we have in her household, the better."

"And the Staffords?"

"Your husband will remain here, in George's household," said Wiltshire. "Your daughter Anne should stay at Hatfield, that is the best place for her. As for your boy Edward…" he hesitated, "I'll speak to the King about having him sent there, too, at least temporarily."

Mary nodded, sighing, retreating from her room as her father dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

Less than an hour later, the King himself approached Mary Stafford.

"Lady Stafford," he said, "I understand you are having trouble finding a place for your boy, Edward."

"Yes, Your Majesty," she said. "He is just over a year old, and I am hoping for him to receive a good education."

"He should be with his sister and his cousins," said the King kindly, much to Mary's surprise. "Bring him to Hatfield as soon as possible – tomorrow, if you are not busy. Stay a few days, to ensure all is well with the children there, and when you return, bring my daughter Lady Mary with you."

Mary Stafford was very surprised by this. Lady Mary? Returning to court? She was not sure what this meant, although she was sure Jane Seymour could not have initiated it. No matter how warmly disposed she was toward Mary, she could not hope for the girl's restoration as a Princess. If Mary was a Princess, then Katherine was Henry's wife and Queen; and if Katherine was Henry's wife and Queen, then neither Anne nor Jane could claim that position.

This was the King's doing, then. Did he want to demand that Mary sign the Oath, or did he have another motive? Mary could not be certain, but nonetheless she hurried back to her father's rooms to inform him of this development.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews! They are all appreciated and encouraging. **

_15 June 1535_

"It is time to go, Lady Mary," Lady Stafford said to the former princess. She had kissed her nieces, son, and daughter good-bye. Lady Bryan was taking care of them now, and Mary knew she would soon be needed back at court.

"Did the King indicate whether I would be allowed to see my mother?" demanded Lady Mary. "And it is 'Your Highness'," she added, though she must know it was useless to do so.

"He did not," Lady Stafford said, ignoring the last part of Lady Mary's statement. "But I imagine he will not protest against it, if you do as he commands you."

This silenced Mary. She wondered if she would sign the Oath, if her father swore that he would let her see her mother if she did. She wanted to see her mother _so badly…_ perhaps she would. Perhaps she would sign over all of her rights as Princess of England to Elizabeth and Cecily, her bastard half-sisters, if she was only allowed to see her mother. Queen Anne was dead, so she would not have to suffer the humiliation of kneeling to that woman.

It was a long and silent ride back to Whitehall Palace. Mary Stafford reminded herself that this was her duty, and that she was to keep an eye on Lady Mary. It was her duty to her King.

"Are you fond of my nieces, Lady Mary?" Lady Stafford asked suddenly, as they neared Whitehall. Startled, Mary looked sharply at her.

"Of course," she admitted. "They are my sisters."

Lady Stafford nodded. "And if your father were to restore you as a Princess, declaring you legitimate because his marriage to your mother was made in good faith, would you accept them as your heirs?"

Mary hesitated. If she was conceived in good faith, then her mother was not a whore, and she was still a Princess. As it stood, the King claimed Katherine knew that their marriage could not be valid since she had slept with Prince Arthur, which made Katherine an ambitious slut and Mary a bastard. But the Pope had declared the marriage was valid, even if that decision seemed to have no weight here in England. "I don't know," she admitted.

"The King favors me and my family because he thinks we speak for what Anne would," Lady Stafford told her. "And he has his eye on another lady, Jane Seymour, who I believe is warmly disposed toward you and would like to see you restored to your place in the succession. Between us, I think we may be able to convince the King that his marriage was made in good faith."

Mary looked at Lady Stafford, startled. "What is in it for you?" she asked.

"Nothing," Lady Stafford said. "It would be the right thing to do. And if the marriage was declared made in good faith, then perhaps your mother would accept your father's verdict, and you could all be reunited at court."

This was a tempting prospect, but Mary would not be able to give up her Catholic beliefs. "No," she said firmly. "My parents' marriage was valid."

When the carriage rolled up to the gates of Whitehall, there was a kind-looking gentleman there to greet them.

"Mary," he said fondly, kissing Lady Stafford's lips.

"Will," she smiled. Lady Mary realized very quickly that this was Lady Stafford's husband, Sir William.

"I am to escort you back to the Queen's chambers, which are being set up for Jane Seymour's use," Sir William told his bride. "The King has proposed to her, and she has accepted, and you and your sister-in-law, Lady Rochford, are to be her chief ladies-in-waiting." Here he turned to his wife's companion. "Lady Mary, we are to escort you to see your father."

With an arm to each lady, Sir William walked on toward the court.

Lady Mary could hear her heart beating. What did this mean, that her father wanted her to meet with him? Surely he would not force her to sign the Oath?

When they arrived at the doors to the King's presence chambers, and Lady Mary Tudor was announced, the Staffords curtsied in farewell.

King Henry was standing at the window, watching his courtiers as they walked in the gardens below. He doubted any of them had daughters half as disobedient as the one he was receiving now.

"Your Majesty," Lady Mary said as she entered her father's rooms.

"Sit, Mary," he commanded. She sat. He crossed the room and sat across from her, the desk between them. He turned the paper that was sitting on his side toward her and handed her a quill. "Sign."

It was the Oath of Succession.

"I cannot," Mary said.

"And why is that?" the King snapped angrily.

Mary's mind reeled. She knew he would never accept that it went against her beliefs. Just for saying so, she may be banished forever, or if she was particularly unlucky, she might lose her head, as so many defiant citizens before her. What was an excuse that he would accept? Mary blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"My mother…" she gasped. "It would kill her."

It seemed that she had estimated right. King Henry deflated, and his look softened.

"Mary," he said. "Did you not sign this because you knew it would hurt your mother? Not because you disagree with your father?"

Encouraged by his softening, Mary nodded.

"Well," the King hesitated. "As admirable as that is, you must sign." He turned to her. "I can promise that your mother will never hear of it; we will not publicize that you have signed it. But the woman I am to make my Queen would like you at court for our wedding, and I would like that, too." He walked around the table and knelt at his daughter's level. "If you sign, I will give you your own household at Beaulieu Palace," he bribed. "And you may feel free to divide your time between there, the court, and Hatfield, if you would like to see your sisters."

Mary's head snapped up. This was considerable freedom, and she had to admit she would enjoy Beaulieu and court; and she would still get to see those darling girls!

"Would I," she hesitated, "would I be able to visit my mother?"

"If you ask permission first," the King agreed, "then you may."

That was all Mary needed to hear. She grabbed the quill.

_19 June 1535_

"I am so glad that you have reunited with your father," Jane Seymour said to Lady Mary, walking in the gardens of Whitehall Palace.

"So am I," Mary admitted.

Lady Mary thought Jane Seymour was incredibly kind and almost too sweet to be real. But she was rather plain and incredibly unsophisticated, and Mary could not imagine how she had caught the King of England's eye.

But she would not complain, as Jane was warmly disposed toward her. Nonetheless, Lady Mary thought that perhaps Lady Stafford would be more valuable as an ally than Jane was.

"I am sorry for everything you have had to bear," Jane said. "I can assure you that your half-sisters will not be received at court much, if it displeases you to see them and be reminded of your time as their servant; I daresay that it would displease me to see them and be reminded of their mother, or when I was her servant."

Clearly this was kindly meant, and Jane assumed that Mary would be appreciative of the thought.

"You do me an injustice, Madam," said Mary coldly, "if you think that I blame innocent children for anything I may have suffered. I do not believe in the sins of the parents reflecting upon the children. I am fond of both Elizabeth and Cecily."

Mary was satisfied to see Jane blush, looking chastised.

"Of course I did not mean to accuse you of any uncharitable thoughts or actions," Jane backtracked. "I only understand how hard it must be for you to watch your half-sisters honored with a title you have been forced to sacrifice, and I can understand not wanting to be faced with it."

"As I will be with your daughters?" Mary added, not harshly. Did Jane not realize that she was continuing where Anne left off? It would be equally hard for Mary to see Jane Seymour's children paraded around as princes and princesses as it would be to see Anne Boleyn's. Mary sighed. "I do not intend to spend much time at court," she said. "I will be leaving for Beaulieu soon. Excuse me," she added, curtsying a little, and taking her leave of Jane.

For her part, Jane was thoroughly confused.

Did Mary not realize that Jane was on her side? That if she had the chance, Jane would restore Mary to her former position as Princess, and bastardize Anne's daughters? Maybe she would like to continue to have her children acknowledged as heirs if she could, but that did not mean she was not Princess Mary's ally. Why could Mary not see that?

_22 June 1535_

The wedding was a grand one, with lots of dancing, and the court officially ended their mourning for Queen Anne in celebration of the new marriage.

Queen Jane looked beautiful, and Henry was pleased to dance with her and excited for the night; nonetheless, his daughter Mary caught his attention occasionally.

"My daughter Mary is old enough to be married," he reminded his Queen. "I shall have to find a suitable husband for her."

"Has Your Majesty anyone in mind?"

"I have told Norfolk to pick some impoverished Howard boy, about her age, who will be grateful for a large dowry and a good connection," the King said. "I will give him a title and marry him to my daughter."

Queen Jane frowned a little at this. Princess Mary, marrying a Howard? That did not sit well with Jane at all; but she knew it was the King's decision to marry Mary to whomever he pleased.

"Will her mother be allowed to attend the wedding?" Jane asked. "No mother would want to miss such an event."

The King paused thoughtfully. "The marriage will not take place until we have a son," he told her. "I cannot imagine that will happen later than 1537, when we are married for two years. If Katherine has not given in to me by that time, she will not be able to come to the wedding."

Jane forced a smile on her face, though she rather felt like she was going to be sick. The King had just given her a deadline to have a son: their second anniversary, in 1537.

Jane did not want the fate of either of her predecessors.

_30 June 1535_

The King wanted a husband for his daughter, so the Howards would provide one.

Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, walked purposefully through the halls of Lambeth Palace, the residence where his stepmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, lived with her household and her wards.

When he greeted his stepmother, the Duke decided to forego pleasantries.

"Who do you have here with the Howard name?" he asked.

"Only a few," admitted the Duchess. Most of her wards were Howards through mothers or grandmothers, and at least a few were Tilneys, related to the Dowager Duchess herself. "My daughters are all married, and both of my sons are at court."

"I want to give the King options," the Duke told his stepmother. "I have already decided that your son Thomas will be an option for the Lady Mary's husband; _my_ son Thomas will be another option, though he is several years younger than she is. Who else do we have?"

"We have your brother Edmund's children," she said. "The oldest girl, Margaret, is married. The boys are Henry, Charles, and George, and the other girls are Mary and Kathryn."

Norfolk nodded, ordering for them to be brought to him. Not ten minutes later, three handsome boys walked into the room and bowed. The older two looked like they would be more than suitable for the Lady Mary, though the last one was about the same age as his son Thomas and would probably be deigned too young. Two rather pretty girls, the younger of whom could not be more than fourteen, followed them. Norfolk studied them both appreciatively, wondering how he could use them to his advantage. Now was not the time, not when the King was devoted to Jane Seymour; but when he tired of her, Mary or Kathryn Howard would make him an ideal mistress.

Shaking off this plan for the moment, Norfolk turned toward the three boys.

"All three of you will be coming to court," he ordered. "And, along with my son Thomas and my brother Thomas, you will be courting the Lady Mary, who will chose her husband from among you. Be advised: whomever she choses will be honored with a title and significant finances, so you would be well-advised to try your hardest."

The three boys exchanged amazed looks.

"As for you two," the Duke said, turning toward his nieces, "places are going to be found for you in the Queen's household. My niece Lady Stafford is the chief lady-in-waiting, and assures me that you will be admitted as soon as appropriate places are available."

The girls curtsied and thanked him, the younger one looking particularly animated at the idea.

"You will be more likely to be admitted if your brothers succeed with the Lady Mary," the Duke added. Some pressure from their sisters may do these boys some good. "You boys should pack immediately, we leave in the morning. You girls should be ready to leave at a moment's notice."

With that, the Duke swept dramatically out of the room, leaving his stepmother to deal with the excitement and chaos his news would undoubtedly create.

_7 July 1535_

"You are not allowed to visit your mother until you are married. You will chose your husband from one of the Howard men I have chosen to court you. You will be married as soon as Queen Jane has given me a son."

There was a part of Mary that was glad to hear this: she wanted a husband, and she wanted children. And she was realistic enough to know that her father would probably never return to her mother and declare her legitimate; not when he had healthy and young Queen Jane on the throne. And since she was not a princess, Mary could not hope for a royal marriage. She had hoped she would at least marry a titled man, but the Howards were a good family, and if it weren't for Anne being one of them, she would be glad it was the Howards and not someone of less noble pedigree. And her husband would be given a title, too. As far as the former princess was concerned, this was an ideal way to show her father that she truly was an obedient daughter who would follow his wishes in all things, including her marriage, and still she was getting some sort of choice. Mary had already dismissed both men called Lord Thomas Howard from among her suitors. The present Duke's son was too young and immature, four years her junior, and thought very highly of herself. The present Duke's half-brother, on the other hand, was in love with Mary's cousin, Lady Margaret Douglas. And while Margaret and Thomas would never be allowed to marry, Mary would not steal her cousin's beau.

That left the three sons of Edmund Howard, and Mary had eliminated George, the youngest immediately. He was three years her junior, and while he was not haughty like his cousin, he was nonetheless too immature. That left her between Henry and Charles.

"My lady," said a voice, and Mary turned to see Charles Howard, one of her suitors. "I am sorry to interrupted you. I can leave."

Strangely, Mary did not mind his presence. He was always kind to her, and offered to withdraw if she ever looked uncomfortable, or if he thought she wished to be alone. And he was a good listener, too, which Mary knew was something that she needed.

"No," said Mary, "please. What is it you need?"

Hesitantly, Charles handed over a letter to her.

"This is from my sister Margaret, Lady Arundel," he said. "She begs pardon at writing to you unprompted, but insists that the letter contains important information for you. I have not read it," he added, when she opened her mouth to inquire, "and Margaret has not taken me into her confidence."

"Thank you," said Mary, placing the letter gently in her bag. "That was kind of you."

"Hardly," he said. "I am rather afraid of my sister. Oh, and she begs me to tell you that anything in that letter that gives you cause for doubt can be confirmed by any of our sisters – Mary or Kathryn at Lambeth, and our half-sisters Isabel, Joyce, and Margaret here at court."

"Thank you," she said.

"Don't thank me," he bowed, withdrawing. "I shall leave you to your letter."

For a moment Mary stared after him, thinking to herself that he was very handsome. Then she turned her attention to the letter.

_To the Lady Mary, daughter of the great King Henry, _

_ Forgive my insolence at writing to you so freely, Lady Mary, but the situation regarding my brothers has come to my attention through the correspondence I have with my sister Mary, who was at Lambeth with my brothers when the circumstances first came about. I know that there are a number of Howard boys that my lady must be considering, and I doubt that this letter will even be a necessity. But on the off chance that it is, I need to send it to you. _

_ My lady, I beg you, do not marry my brother Henry. _

_ I warn you this because Henry is a foul-tempered boy, and the Dowager Duchess, my step-grandmother, compares her often to my uncle, Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. And while the Duke is crafty and good at what he does, he is not a good husband. _

_ My aunt, his wife, the former Lady Elizabeth Stafford, suffers many abuses from him; their marriage is not a happy one, and I know that the Duchess would have liked someone to warn her as I am warning you now. My brother has never hit me, as I am older than he is, but on multiple occasions he has struck one of my sisters, Mary and Kathryn. And while I do not condemn nor argue that a man has a right to punish his wife or sisters has he sees fit, you are right now neither one, and have the chance of not becoming such. If given the choice between any number of men, the last one I would chose would be the one who has hit his female relations before. _

_ You may chose to disregard this letter, my lady, if that is your choice. And I beg pardon again for writing so hastily and informally to you; I hope that this letter was not necessary. Whomever you chose, I wish you the utmost happiness in your life. Your servant, _

_ Margaret, Lady Arundel_

Lady Mary stared at the letter for a long time.

It was strange, the way Lady Arundel had encouraged her to chose someone other than her brother Henry. Would she not want to see her brother titled and rich?

Perhaps she had known that Mary had narrowed it down to just Henry and Charles, and had hoped that this letter would encourage Mary to pick Charles; it was possible that she was closer to him. He was, after all, the one she had chosen to deliver this letter. But how would she have known? And she didn't mention Charles once in the letter….

Mary shook her head to ward off the confusion. When she reached her suite of rooms, she quickly locked the letter away in a personal space that her ladies would never dare look.

She would bide her time, and not announce her decision immediately, but Lady Mary Tudor was going to marry Charles Howard.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! I'm trying to give Mary a happy ending in this story, because it seems like she is always the one left out when everyone else gets one, so this chapter was mostly about her. I also got the Mary/Charles Howard idea from ReganX's ****One the Edge of a Golden World****, and absolutely loved them together. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

_9 August 1535_

Lady Mary Tudor held her breath, glancing around the dark and damp castle she knew her mother was living in, and suppressed a shiver.

"Mary," said a voice, and the former princess turned to see Lady Willoughby, the former Maria de Salinas, her mother's most loyal companion. Maria had accompanied the Infanta Catalina to England from Spain all those years ago.

"Lady Willoughby," said Mary. "How is my mother?"

"Not well, poor woman," said the baroness, "but is she ever?"

"Has she heard about my betrothal?"

"Yes," said Lady Willoughby. "She had hoped for a better match for you, a royal match. But she can do nothing to stop it, and she knows that."

"I am sorry she is disappointed," said Mary. At that moment, the door creaked open, and standing before them was Katherine of Aragon herself, in all her glory.

"Mary!" she cried, holding out her arms for her daughter.

"Mother!"

The two women embraced, and tears of joy at their reunion were abundant. "Mary," said the Spanish princess, "Oh, my dearest daughter, I heard you are to be married."

"Yes, Mother," said Mary. "I know you are disappointed that it is not a royal match, but Charles Howard is a good man," she assured her mother desperately. "He will treat me kindly, and give me children; and he has promised that we can name our first daughter 'Katherine', after you. And Father has promised to make Charles the Duke of Hereford and Earl of Wessex, so that I can be a Duchess."

"I would have preferred to see you married to a prince," said Katherine. "And if I had the strength of my mother, Isabella, I would insist upon it. But it is all I can do to insist on our titles as it stands."

Mary thought guiltily of her own signature on the Oath of Succession, but did not voice her thought. Instead, she said, "I think you are the strongest woman in the world, Mother. And your mother would be proud of you."

"Ah, my dear," said Katherine. "We always look at our mothers through rose-colored glasses; I know I did. And on her orders I made some of my greatest mistakes."

"Mistakes?" asked Mary. "What mistakes?"

The former Queen gazed out the window as she spoke.

"Many years ago," she said, "My mother told me that I was meant to be Queen of England. She said I must be Queen of England, at all costs; no matter who had to die for it – she had requested the death of Edward, Earl of Warwick, our Lady Salisbury's brother – or what lies must be told to ensure it. I took her wishes to heart and paid the price."

"What are you saying?" asked Mary.

After a moment, Katherine turned from the window.

"Nothing," she said. "I am saying nothing; only the ramblings of an old lady. You must forget it Mary, and we can use your visit to talk of something more pleasant. Tell me about your wedding."

Lady Mary hesitated. Had her mother just confessed to… _lying_? Surely not… surely Katherine of Aragon never told a lie in her life! But perhaps, on the orders from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella…. Mary could not think straight. What lie had her mother told? What lie had been her greatest mistake, and what had been its consequences?

_10 August 1535_

"It was very kind of Your Majesty to allow your daughter Mary to see her mother," said Queen Jane as she sat across from her husband, eating their dinner. "I'm sure they are both very grateful for the visit."

"Mary may be," said the King sharply. "But I have no doubt that Katherine will see it as little more than her due. My generosity was never well-received by her."

Jane ducked her head, unsure of how to proceed. Usually the King was so pleasant with her; why was he suddenly so short?

"How are the preparations for Lady Mary's wedding coming along?" Jane asked. "Has Master Howard been elevated to a position befitting the King's daughter?"

Again, the King's answer was short and sharp. "He will be elevated on his wedding day," he said. "And Mary will be honored as is befitting a King's natural daughter."

Jane felt frustration building up inside of her.

"I understand Lady Mary has been spending a significant amount of her time at Beaulieu Palace," she commented, "I had hoped there was something we could do to make court more pleasant for her."

"Mary will spend her time where she pleases," snapped the King again, truly angry now. "Why are you so insistent we speak of Lady Mary?"

"I had only thought that Your Majesty would like to speak of your daughter," said Jane, bowing her head in respect.

"I have two other daughters," yelled King Henry, rising from the table. "Two other daughters who are _princesses_! Perhaps I would like to speak of _them_! I am disappointed," he said, "that you have shown no interest in the two motherless girls in the royal nursery; you have made no effort to see them included at court, and all you wish to speak of is _Lady Mary_!" The King's voice was harsh. He stormed toward the door. "And furthermore, I am disappointed that you are not yet with child!"

With that, the King left the Queen's rooms in a huff, followed by his attendants and guards.

Queen Jane looked stricken as the King's words played out in her mind.

"Oh, Jane," her sister Elizabeth, Lady Oughstred, said, hovering over her. "Don't be upset, Jane, he's only angry, he'll calm down…."

_13 August 1535_

"Am I your favorite, Uncle George?" demanded little Princess Elizabeth.

"Of course you are," said George, Lord Rochford. "You're my absolute favorite; and so is your sister Cecily; and your cousin Catherine; and your cousin Henry; and your cousin Edward; and your cousin Anne."

"Uncle George!" cried eleven-year-old Catherine Carey in delighted protest. "We can't _all_ be your favorite!"

"You can't?" Lord Rochford said, looking shocked. "Well, then, whatever shall I do? It seems now I must pick from amongst you."

"Pick me! Pick me!" the children all cried in delight.

Lord Rochford looked at each child, assessing them. Finally, he threw his hands up in defeat.

"I'm sorry, Bessie," he said to the Princess. "I can't pick."

"Aw, Uncle George!" they all protested.

"George Rochford!" said a voice, and everyone turned to see Mary Stafford, his sister. "Are you picking favorites again? You know perfectly well that you aren't supposed to do that."

"I'm sorry, Mary," George said, putting on an overly dramatic apologetic face.

She sighed. "Oh, let's go home," she scoffed. "We've kept the children from their lessons more than enough for one day. And we're needed back at court."

"Of course we are," said Lord Rochford, puffing out his chest. "For _I_ am a very important man."

The children giggled as their uncle offered his arm to their aunt and she took it gratefully.

"Come on, now, all of you, back to your lessons," scolded the voice of Lady Bryan, the head governess. Because of the number of children in the household, King Henry had engaged a whole staff of nurses and governesses. Lady Bryan was especially in charge of the younger children.

"Part of me hates it when Lord Rochford comes," Lady Bryan whispered to Kat Champernowne, one of the younger governesses. "He throws the children's schedules all off. But the rest of me can't help but be amused by him."

_18 August 1535_

"Why _aren't_ you with child yet, Jane?" Edward Seymour asked his sister. She had just finished recounting her dinner fiasco with her husband a few nights ago, and this was what he had hooked onto.

"What?"

"Well, if you were with child or had a son, none of the other things would matter," said Edward. "He'd talk to you about Lady Mary all you wanted if you were with child. He'd let you leave Anne Boleyn's brats at Hatfield to rot if you were with child."

Jane thought about that for a moment.

"Do you think I could convince him to restore Lady Mary as a princess if I was with child?"

Edward highly doubted it; the King was stubborn. Nonetheless, the most important thing right now was that Jane conceived and bore the King a healthy son.

"I would not be surprised if he did," Edward told her, smiling through his lie. "If you carried his son, he would do anything for you."

Jane looked thoughtful. "I _am_ trying, Edward," she said.

"I know," Edward said, patting his sister's head condescendingly. "Just keep trying to conceive, and in the meantime be as kind and sweet as you can, and don't interfere with the King's matters. And especially don't bring up the Lady Mary."

Jane nodded uncertainly. "Must I pay attention to Anne Boleyn's brats?" she asked.

"Leave them for now," Edward said. "But if in a few months you still aren't with child, being a good mother to them might be a way that you can please the King and buy yourself some more time."

Jane nodded reluctantly. Another reason to fall with child immediately – to avoid seeing the Princesses who should not hold that title.

"But Jane," Edward added as he was leaving, "you'll still have to meet them. In fact, the King has already issued an order for the princesses to be brought to court for the celebrations in honor of Princess Elizabeth's birthday."

"When's that?" Jane asked.

Edward rolled his eyes. "September."


End file.
